On Wednesday, September 6, the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery will conduct a public hearing on S.1081, An Act to authorize public health workers to pursue new measures to reduce harm and stigma for people affected by substance use disorder, filed by Senator Brownsberger.

This bill would give Massachusetts cities and towns the option of implementing safer drug consumption programs, providing a safe space for people to consume pre-obtained drugs under the supervision of healthcare professionals and to receive other related services, such needle exchange, overdose prevention, and treatment referrals. The bill would authorize the Department of Public Health (DPH) to approve the implementation of such programs with approval from the Board of Heath in the hosting city or town, and would require DPH to report the program’s results and any recommendations to the Chairs of the Joint Committee on Heath Care Financing and the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security within one year of implementation.

Senator Brownsberger has previously shared his thoughts on the topic and his motivation for filing the bill, which you can find here.

Members of the public are encouraged to attend this hearing and provide written or oral testimony to the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery in support or opposition of this bill.